If you were ever looking for U.S. Army Spc. Christopher Hoskins while he was growing up, your best chance of finding him was by looking skyward, his father said.

“He loved climbing trees,” Richard Hoskins said. “So you never looked down for him. You looked up, in so many ways.”

Ten years after the start of war in Iraq, Killingly officials are hoping to build a living memorial in Danielson’s Davis Park to honor the service of Hoskins, killed by small arms fire on June 21, 2005, in Ramadi, Iraq. He was 21.

“It was a Monday morning, and the two kids and I were coming down the stairs and one of them said ‘Mom’s here,’” said Richard, an English teacher at Killingly High School. “She was standing there with a military officer and a chaplain.

No one had to say anything. I knew why they were there.”

Christopher was assigned as a gunner on a military Humvee at the time of his death, escorting civilian engineers back to base when his unit was ambushed.

“The pain of his death evolves over time into something else,” Richard said. “Just this week, I was teaching a poetry class and read a piece by Emily Dickinson about a soldier fatally wounded. And just before his death, he hears a victory trumpet. I’ve taught that poem many times, but this week it’s poignancy really struck me. That’s the kind of thing that happens.”

On March 19, 2003, President George W. Bush announced the start of hostilities against Iraq. It was already early March 20, 2003, in Iraq when the air strikes began.

The military action quickly ousted Saddam Hussein, but led to years of bloodshed as Sunni and Shiite militants battled U.S. forces and each other, leaving nearly 4,500 Americans and more than 100,000 Iraqis dead. Included among the dead were seven Eastern Connecticut service members.

Christopher, the second of four children, enlisted in 2000 and volunteered to deploy to Iraq while stationed in Korea. His father said Christopher was fascinated by the military for much of his childhood.

“He was a figure in contrasts,” Richard said. “He was shy, but proud of his service. He was the biggest kid in his class, but the most invisible. He loved guns, but was the first to bring a wounded bird in.”

This month, the Killingly Town Council agreed to spend $1,500 to plant a tree and place a plaque in town in recognition of Christopher’s sacrifice.

“I received an email from the city of Middletown, asking us to donate to a living tree memorial they had planned, which would plant a tree for all of the Connecticut soldiers killed since the war began,” Town Council Chairman Dennis Alemian said. “I thought it was a great idea, but I didn’t like the idea of sending taxpayer money to another town. That got me thinking that we don’t have anything in town to honor those soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Page 2 of 2 - Claudia Hoskins, Christopher’s mother, described her son as a man who shunned the spotlight and eschewed bravado. “And because of his personality, I’m conflicted about the memorial,” said Claudia, a nursing professor at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich. “As a mother and older resident, I understand the need to honor Christopher, but he’d want to make sure the collective sacrifice of other veterans from all wars were acknowledged. It’s bittersweet.”

Claudia said her son, who had re-enlisted just before he was killed, was a quiet person who videotaped several of the town’s council and school board meetings. He avoided team sports, but loved his time on the wrestling team and thrived on competition.

“He’d give anyone the shirt off his back,” Claudia said. “When he came back on leave, he’d make sure he’d bring back books, snacks and magazines for the other soldiers in his unit. He was a good battle buddy.”

Christopher was a “forward-thinking” individual, Claudia said, one who spent an entire day during his deployment in Korea soaking up the local history.

“His friends talked out him spending eight to ten hours in the turret of a Bradley in the pouring rain,” she said. “He was a soldier’s soldier.”